While much of the focus on increased security for plastic cards has been at point-of-sale terminals and ATMs with their respective EMV liability shifts, vulnerabilities with gas pumps will be a reality until October 2017. In the last few years, gas pumps have been a favorite target for fraudsters to place skimming devices. In fact, […]

USC Credit Union has upgraded its credit and debit cards to include chip technology, also known as EMV (Europay, MasterCard®, Visa®). Chip cards offer enhanced fraud protection via a small square chip inserted into the front of the card. ENHANCED SECURITY The small square chip on the front of the card is at the heart […]

Many people think they can spot and outwit a scam, but the truth is that scams become more savvy and sophisticated every year. You may not be able to keep up with every new scheme, but there are red flags for every type of potential fraud. Knowing some basics and being vigilant can keep you […]

Take steps to avoid being a victim of identity theft by: Sign your credit cards upon receipt. Only carry cards that you need. Do not carry your Social Security card. Never write your PIN or Social Security number on anything you are going to throw away. Shred documents containing your Social Security number. Do not […]

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your bank account number, Social Security number, credit card, or other personal information for his or her own ends. Months can go by before the theft has been discovered. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has listed the following ways that imposters can get your personal information and take over […]

Know what steps to take if you are a victim of “phishing” or any other form of identity theft: File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime. Contact the fraud departments of any of the three major credit bureaus […]

There is a rapidly growing Internet fraud called “phishing.” Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is a term that refers to fishing for personal information, such as account numbers, passwords, PINs, credit card account or Social Security numbers online. Phishing is quickly becoming one of the most insidious online identity theft scams where fraudulent email messages (spam) are […]